DAVID BENGTSON X2711 P7798 (ep588deb@pts.mot.com) wrote:
: I've got a Mixer question. I'm working on a single bipolar transistor mixer,
: downconverting from 900 MHz to 21.4 MHz. High side injection. I've got a
: 2-pole ceramic block filter on the input, so the image noise contribution is
: taken care of. Now, the question. I have noticed that the indicated noise figure
: (Using a HP 8970 Noise fig Meter ) vary's by about 4 to 5 dB depending on the
: generator that I am using for the LO injection. the HP 8657 is the worst,
: followed by an 8644 at about 2 dB better, with an old cavity tuned 8640 the
: best, at 4 to 5 dB better than the 8657. My initial take on this is that
: this is due to the variation in Phase noise between the generators, but I'm not positive. MDS Simulations correllate with the results from the 8640, and I tend to
: think that those are the correct numbers ( Besides, they are the best! ) Is this
: due to the phase noise performance of the generators, or is there something
: else happening here?
: David Bengtson 407-364-3806
: Motorola No, I'm not speaking for Motorola
: Mail Stop 98 If I was, I'd be making more money!
: 1500 NW 22nd Ave
: Boynton Beach, FL 33626
With an unbalanced mixer, any broadband noise out of the signal generator
(whether phase noise or AM noise) will go right into the IF amplifier,
causing an increase in measured noise figure. Since the 8644 has better
phase noise than the 8657, it stands to reason that it would work better.
I believe that the 8640 has even better phase noise far from the carrier
frequency, due to the 8640's cavity-tuned oscillator (which has a much
higher resonator Q than the VCO's used in the synthesized signal
generators.)
The solution is either to use a balanced mixer or a local oscillator